CLEVELAND -- All the momentum is on the Indians' side. And that's why maybe the worst thing they could have right now is a day off thanks to baseball's quirky schedule newly arranged for the '07 postseason. Wednesday's surprise day of rest might cool off the Tribe and might allow the Red Sox to clear their heads and stop the ringing from the Jacobs Field crowd.
Josh Beckett badly outpitched C.C. Sabathia in Game One but the Indians have the edge in every category since as they've taken a 3-1 lead in the ALCS and are one win away from the World Series. Whether it's offense, defense, starting pitching or bullpen, this series has been a stunning mismatch so far. The Red Sox seem oddly timid, as if they were playing the '03 Yankees or something. Their three straight home runs in the sixth inning Tuesday weren't a momentum killer for the Tribe. It looks like they were just an aberration.
Once the teams go to the bullpens, Jensen Lewis, Rafael Betancourt and Joe Borowski have been lights out for Cleveland. Will Red Sox manager Terry Francona ever get over using Eric Gagne in the 11th inning of Game Two? Just like his players, Francona is experiencing a beatdown of his own as Tribe skipper Eric Wedge has been outmaneuvering him at every turn.
So is this one over? Is Beckett going to be enough to get the Sox back to Fenway?
---Mike Harrington
(Photo: Victor Martinez celebrates Jhonny Peralta's home run in Game Four/Associated Press)
tagged
ALCS | Bisons/Indians | Major leagues | World Series
